Church of Sardis Needed to Stand Firm

Churches of Revelation:
#5 Church of Sardis:

“I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 

Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die;
 for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. 

So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent.

Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.

But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments;

and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.

He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments;

and I will not erase his name from the book of life,
and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
Revelation 3:1-6

Many believe that was the church of the protestant reformation until the 1800's..  Jesus says that He knows the deeds of this church and this is not a word of commendation, but rather condemnation.  The deeds of this church are evil or fleshly.  Deeds that speak of greatness for men – bigger churches, more buildings, more campuses, and deeper coffers.  They have the name of Christian church, protestant, but they are not alive, but dead because they are not promoting the truth and authority of God’s word.  Many protestant denominations of our time hold to traditions but have left the essential truths and application of true believers.   Jesus is calling the church to “Wake up!”  The church in Sardis was situated on a mountain.  It was impregnable on three sides.  This left them to guard just the south entrance.  Twice in their history, however, they were overtaken by the enemy because that south guard was asleep.  We are to be sober, stand guard, and protect the Biblical truths that Protestantism was founded upon, for we do not know when the church will be raptured and Jesus will come again.

 That which the church received and heard was the saving power of the blood of Jesus through repentance and rebirth.  But many churches of our day are preaching good works and baby baptism rather than the blood of our Lord and Savior. 

 Jesus does say, however, that there are those who have “not soiled their garments.”  In other words those who are walking in purity through the saving blood of Jesus.  They are claiming His power and His life and walking therein to the obedience of Christ.  These are the true believers – the true church that Jesus will rapture and give white garments to that they may walk with Jesus through all of eternity.

This next statement is confusing, but J Vernon McGee, a writer of Christian commentaries and the Bible teacher of “Walk Through the Bible”, says that in this book is written every name of every person ever born.  When they die and have not received Christ, then their name is erased from this book.  Only the names of the true believers will remain and these Jesus will present before God and the angels as His brethren.

Each of you have made that critical decision to become a Christian.  You were each born again and are in the book of life.  But now what?  Will you walk as in garments of white through confession and repentance and righteousness?  Will you choose to be the voice of grace to others?  Will you grow and learn the truths of God’s word and be a witness to God’s great love and mercy?  Will you raise your children to love the Lord Jesus and to be born again?

Money, education, prestige, happiness in your circumstances, are all good if used for the kingdom of God.  God is preparing you for arenas of influence that astound and amaze me.  Be faithful with the teachings that have been yours since birth.  Be faithful to the calling of God on your life.  And seek Jesus in all things – hard and joyful.  May you grow in the knowledge and grace of Jesus our Lord.

 

Church of Thyatira Stayed True

Churches of Revelation
#4 Church of Thyatira:

“I know your deeds,

 and your love and faith and service and perseverance,
and that your deeds of late are greater than at first. 

But I have this against you,

that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess,
and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols… 
Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation,
unless they repent of her deeds... 

But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them –

I place no other burden on you. 
Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come.

He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end,

 to him I will give authority over the nations;
and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces,
 as I also have received authority from My Father;
and I will give him the morning star.”
Revelation 2:19-28

 There seems to be two separate groups here in Thyatira – the true Christians and those who are posing as Christians but teaching a strange doctrine.  The true Christians were those who lived spotless lives and by their good deeds showed their true hearts.  They were a church of love and faith resulting in service and perseverance.  Lastly, their works were increasing rather than diminishing. 

 The false church was condemned.   Jezebel was the evil wife of Ahab of the Northern Kingdom of Israel.  She brought in the prophets of Baal and led many astray.  Here, the church is following after the pagan practices and idolatry that is mingled in with Christian works and worship.  The introduction of rituals and church doctrine supplanted personal faith in Jesus Christ.  These people were about being religious, but not about knowing Jesus or being born again or sanctified through his blood.  Often the churches of Revelation are held up as different times in church history.  This church corresponds to the dark ages when the Catholic church introduced heretical teachings and rituals such as the worship of Mary and Mass being said for the dead.  But we can fall into this sin today when church rituals and doctrine become more important to our salvation than Jesus. 

Jesus then commends the true believers to hold fast to what they have.  We know the truth.  It will be challenged and we will be persecuted for it.  But we need to determine to hang on until the end.  The rewards are great!

To the overcomers is promised authority over nations.  We will not be playing a harp and sitting on clouds in heaven.  God says that we will have responsibilities and jobs such as ruling the nations.  Will you be ready?  Will you have matured and persevered and grown as a Christian so that Jesus can put you in charge?  Have you learned responsibility here on earth that Jesus will be able to trust you with great responsibility in heaven?  Are you persevering through the trials and tribulations here that you will be able to rule and reign in heaven?

We are also promised the morning star.  Jesus is the Bright and Morning Star (Rev. 22:16).  We will get Jesus as our husband, our Lord, our Friend, our King – face to face.  What joy that will be! 

Stay strong and hang on!

 

Church at Pergamum Held Fast

The churches of Revelation:

Church of Pergamum:

“I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is;
and you hold fast My name,
and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one,
who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.

But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam…

So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
Therefore, repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth.

To him who overcomes,

to him I will give some of the hidden manna,
and I will give him a white stone,
and a new name written on the stone which no one knows by the who receives it.”
Revelation 2:13-17

This is a tough passage.  First of all, let us identify where Satan’s throne is.  1 John 5:19 says, “We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.”  Satan is the prince of the power of the air, the ruler of this world.  Therefore, we all dwell where Satan’s throne is.  God gave Satan authority over this earth when Adam and Eve sinned.  But!  That doesn’t mean that we are all followers of Satan.  Colossians 1:13 says that “…He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”  And Ephesians 2: 1-6 says, “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.  But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love  with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace are you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus…”

The saints at Pergamum were in the world, but not of this world.  They held fast the name of Jesus and did not deny the faith even at the cost of death.  Antipas is an unknown martyr, but possibly the first martyr there in in Pergamum.  He lived during a time that the world began to enter into the church through false teaching and false religion.  We too must hold fast to our confession and our faith to the point of death.  God will equip us to do all that He calls us to do.  If Jesus asks us to be a martyr for His name, then He will give us the grace and power to do so at that time.  Until then, the harder part is being a witness to the name of Jesus and the faith in our everyday life.  We must look differently than the world, responding in love, not seeking revenge, being people of forgiveness and reaching out with the good news of Jesus to others.  Know God now in the times when He may be found so that when the world seems dark, you can find your way to God.  “Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called…” (Ephesians 4:1).  The world must see the truth of God’s word lived out in your life.  Learn it and live it. 

God does condemn the church of Pergamum for two transgressions – the doctrine of Balaam and the doctrine of the Nicolaitans.  The doctrine of Balaam was a doctrine of intermarriage with those not under God’s covenant leading to idolatry and fornication.  In our time this would be marriage with the doctrines of this world and breaking your marriage covenant with Jesus and not  staying pure in that relationship.  The doctrine of the Nicolaitans was accepting foreign knowledge not taught in the word of God leading to a return to rituals and allowing the clergy to rule over the saints with “special knowledge”.  

For the overcomers, Jesus promises them some of the hidden manna.  Jesus, Himself, is the bread of Life, the manna and even though He is hidden in our day and time, the time will come when He is revealed and we will taste the goodness of that sweet relationship for eternity.  The white stone suggests that believers are not blackballed in heaven.  White is the color of purity and righteousness.  This stone will have on it a new name.  Perhaps a new name for our regenerated body or the new  name of Christ Jesus – a name that only those intimately related to Him will know.

So, stay strong.  Keep the faith even unto death and more so until that time.  Stay pure (which involves quick confession when you mess up!) and stay in relationship with Jesus denying the doctrines of this world. 

 

Church of Smyrna was Faithful

Churches of Revelation:

#2 Church in Smyrna

“I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich),

and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 
Do not fear what you are about to suffer.
 Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison,
so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. 
Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life…
He who overcome will not be hurt by the second death.”
Revelation 2:8-111

Does God allow suffering?  Yes!  But it is authored by Satan.  God allows it that we might be tested.  This is not the pass/fail type of test, but rather the testing by fire that hardens and firms up the faith of the believer.  It may be the very “church”, the established institution , that sets out to destroy the real church (believers in Jesus Christ).  Note that we are not to live in fear in those days.  Yes, it may be tribulation unto death, but we don’t have to fear death!  We are going to live forever and in a much better place.  Pastor Ronnie used to say 1 birth 2 deaths, 2 births 1 death.  If we are born only of water into this fleshly world, we will die a physical death and a spiritual death of eternal damnation.  If we are born into this world and into the kingdom  of God, then we will face a physical death, but never again will death have victory over us.  We will live forever.  Notice that we will be given the crown of life if we are faithful unto death.  Don’t fear death, but rather fear God and run into His arms.  He is safety.  He is joy and peace and hope and love. 

Ian McClearon, a theologian, once said that what we know in the light, we can see in the dark.  Know God now while He may be found, and He will be there still when your life seems dark and your hope is wavering.  Learn His promises and His faithfulness through study of the word.  Talk to Him daily through prayer and learn to praise Him even in the hard times.  He will be there in your darkest hour.  Will you discern His voice and His comfort?

I think you will look radiant with the crown of life upon your brow.  Decide now that no matter what, you will stand for Jesus!
 

Church of Ephesus Endured

The seven churches of Revelation:
#1 Ephesus:

“I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance,

and that you cannot tolerate evil men,
and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles,
and they are not, and you found them to be false:
and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake,
and have not grown weary. 

But I have this against you, that you have left your first love…

repent and do the deeds you did at first…

To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.”

Revelation 2:1-7

Let’s see how we are doing.  Are you persevering even in the midst of hardship.  Are you seeking God in the midst even when you are not experiencing His blessings?  Is your faith firm on the word of God and not on your circumstances?  Do you tolerate evil?  On television, at work, at school?  Are you testing to make sure that those you listen to and take advise from are Godly men?  Are you enduring and not growing weary of God’s commandments?

Do you still get excited about reading God’s word, praying, praising Him, going to church, talking about God, witnessing to others?  Is God your god or are there idols in your life?  Are you spending time and money on God things or on you things?  (working and providing for your family is a God thing!)

Endure to the end; persevere no matter what this life throws at you.  Be and overcomer and I will meet you there by the tree of life in the Paradise of God and we will enjoy fruit salad together!

 

Aliens

“…but He who was born of God keeps him,

 and the evil one does not touch him. 
We know that we are of God,
and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.”
1 John 5:19

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you,

which come upon you for you testing,
as though some strange thing were happening to you;
but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ,
keep on rejoicing,
so that also at the revelation of his glory you may rejoice with exultation."
1 Peter 5:12-13

It’s all about perspective.  We are aliens living in a foreign land.  The natives are not happy that we are here.  They will try to destroy us.  But our hope is in Christ Jesus.  Yes, life will be tough as a Child of God, but we don’t walk through it alone!  Jesus has promised to be right here with us.  We must keep an eternal perspective as the days around us seem bleak.  The whole world lies in the power of the evil one, and darkness and light cannot dwell together.  Be the light of the world and determine to bring as many as possible into glory with you.   Don’t be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, we live in satan’s world and he will try to pull you away from your first love of Christ.  We are in a war.  Each thought, each action, each non-action is our battleground.  Listen to your Commander and you will make it through.  Heaven is waiting.  Whether we get there because of cancer, old age, martyrdom, or the rapture doesn’t matter as long as we get there.  Rejoice in your infirmities and trials.  Allow them to bring you closer to the Lord God Almighty.  They can make you better or bitter.  God is using the hard things of this world to grow us and to test us.  Are you passing?